E! cited Ancestry.com in saying the actresses are direct decedents of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327-1377. You totally already know this, but he's famous for The Hundred Years' war between England and France that started during his reign.

The sisters are also related to Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge and wife of Prince William.

The Fannings and Middleton all descend from King Edward I aka "Longshanks," who ruled as the King of England from 1272 to 1307 (He was the evil king of England in "Braveheart").

According to E!, Middleton's mother, Carole, is a granddaughter of King Edward III.

"Generation after generation, the lines we looked at pieced back directly to King Edward III proving that Elle is a direct descendant of royalty," Michelle Ercanbrack, a family historian for Ancestry.com, told People magazine. "You can consider her a long lost princess. This connection is so unique and rare."

Middleton has another Hollywood connection. E! reported she's also a distant cousin of Ellen DeGeneres.

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